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Cameron must cultivate his little acorns

Bring back the Pre-Coalition Dave of optimism and wonder to inspire us with graphene and Raspberry Pi

Peter Hoskin

August 17 2012, 1:01am, The Times

The author Ray Bradbury died two months ago, but one of his commandments hovers over this summer still. “Stuff your eyes with wonder,” he said — and we have been doing just that.

We have wondered at the human body and the feats it can perform. We have marvelled at our national heritage, defined as much by guitar riffs as by royal family trees. And we have cooed at the architecture of the Universe, from its mysterious sub-atomic particles to the umber dust of Mars. Yes, 2012 has certainly spiced up our lives.

There was a time when politicians too fed our collective oohs and aahs. It is nearly 50 years since John F. Kennedy delivered his immortal promise: “We choose to go to the…